MAC Frost Lipstick vs Maybelline Striking Vinyl Ink Longwear Liquid Lipstick: which is safer?

MAC Frost Lipstick is the clear pick. Maybelline Striking Vinyl Ink Longwear Liquid Lipstick carries a failing PFAS grade, and we never recommend buying a failing product.

Our pick

MAC Frost Lipstick

MAC Fix+

MAC Frost Lipstick

PFAS grade

Excellent 75/100

Overall grade

Good 63/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

wax, oils, pigments, emollients (typical lipstick base)

Confidence

72%

PossibleHeavy metal pigments (lead, cadmium, iron oxide impurities)

PossibleAzo dyes and synthetic colorants (allergic sensitization)

PossibleFragrance and flavor oils (allergen, aspiration risk)

Maybelline Striking Vinyl Ink Longwear Liquid Lipstick

Maybelline SuperStay

Maybelline Striking Vinyl Ink Longwear Liquid Lipstick

PFAS grade

Poor 30/100

Overall grade

Bad 4/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

polymeric film, silicones, acrylates, waterproof binder

Confidence

35%

LikelyFluorinated polymers (likely Teflon-type coating or polyfluoroalkyl compounds)

PossibleAcrylate resin irritation and sensitization

PossibleFragrance allergens and sensitizers

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag Heavy metal pigments (lead, cadmium, iron oxide impurities), Azo dyes and synthetic colorants (allergic sensitization) and Fragrance and flavor oils (allergen, aspiration risk) on the MAC Fix+ and not on the Maybelline SuperStay.
  • We flag Fluorinated polymers (likely PTFE or polyfluoroalkyl compounds), Acrylate resin irritation and sensitization and Fragrance allergens and sensitizers on the Maybelline SuperStay and not on the MAC Fix+.
  • The MAC Fix+ is wax, oils, pigments, emollients (typical lipstick base) where the Maybelline SuperStay is polymeric film, silicones, acrylates, waterproof binder, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
  • The gap is 45 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the MAC Fix+ is the one to buy.
  • We are less certain about the Maybelline SuperStay grade, at 35% confidence against 72%, because it discloses less.

Both products run through the same public rubric: materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →

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